Imagine leading a race by a significant distance but then slowing down and allowing others to run past you. It may sound like an impossible scenario, but this actually happened to a British athlete whose one mistake cost him the first place. Jake Odey-Jordan took part in a 200-meter race at the U-18 European Athletics Championships. Initially, the sprinter gained a significant lead but he slowed down just a few meters away from the finish line and it allowed other racers to run past him. Before he could pick pace again, Odey-Jordan finished fifth having clocked 22.12 seconds.
The video of the sprint has now gone viral, mostly because of Jake Odey-Jordan’s mistake. It is unclear why the 16-year-old slowed down. Many are speculating that he may have got confused about the finish line. In the video, the commentator expressed confusion at Odey-Jordan’s mistake and said, “That was an absolute disaster. He has eased up far, far, far too early and half the field swept past him before the finish line. This is going to be a lesson learned the very, very hard way.”
A valuable lesson learned in #BanskaBystrica2024! ⚠ Don't ease back *that* early…! 😬 pic.twitter.com/eOlcLFtA3S
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 19, 2024
This video has attracted more than three million views so far. Athletics journalist Tim Adams said, “Oh my days. The first point here is that Jake Odey-Jordan will never forget this and it could be a blessing in disguise in the long term. The second is that he is one of the UK’s most talented young sprinters with incredible potential. At 16, he has already run 20.55 over 200m.”
Oh my days. The first point here is that Jake Odey-Jordan will never forget this and it could be a blessing in disguise in the long-term.The second is that he is one of the UK's most talented young sprinters with incredible potential. At 16, he has already run 20.55 over 200m. https://t.co/6BnP8BwnDC
— Tim Adams (@TimAdams76) July 19, 2024
Another person wrote, “Hope this ends the ugly spectacle of ‘easing up’ that we see from many sprinters these days. It is disrespectful to other racers, the audience and the sport itself.”
Hope this ends the ugly spectacle of ‘easing up’ that we see from many sprinters these days. It is disrespectful to other racers, audience and the sport itself.— Hemant Roshan (@hemant_roshan) July 19, 2024
A user pointed at the white line on the track and wrote, “It looks like he mistook this for the finish line based on when he looked around and slows down. Then he seems confused that everyone else is still sprinting.”
It looks like he mistook this for the finish line based on when he looks around and slows down. Then seems confused everyone else is still sprinting. pic.twitter.com/iGiKg3Ew7M— Shane McGeary (@humanmale1984) July 20, 2024
As per ABC News, after the race, the teen athlete said, “It is all right. I mean, it is my fault, so I cannot be sad about anything but myself. It is what it is.”
Sweden’s Bram Persson, 16, won the race with a time of 21.79 seconds. He was followed by Denmark’s Samuel Kaerhog, who finished the race in 21.95 seconds.